1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to cable support assembly and more particularly to a cable support assembly for use in connection with a raised floor system.
2. Description of Related Art
Raised floor systems have been developed to provide the additional utility space needed in various different conduit or cable intensive environments where the original construction did not provide adequate means of accommodating the vast amount of conduit or cable. For example, probably the most common environment requiring vast amounts of additional protected space is for large computing systems. Such installations were typically made in facilities which simply were not designed to accommodate the vast amount of cable runs required to operate the typical large computer system. Other applications where additional utility space is required include mechanical systems, e.g., heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems.
A common problem experienced in utilizing raised floor systems is maintaining organization of the various cables, conduits, pipes, etc. which are routed beneath the floor system. One solution to this problem is to provide a cable tray system beneath the floor panels of the raised floor to contain and direct cables along their respective pathways. An example of such a cable tray system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,596,095 which issued on Jun. 24, 1986 to Chalfant (the xe2x80x9c""095 Chalfant Patentxe2x80x9d). The ""095 Chalfant Patent features a modular cable tray assembly which is formed from modular sections which include a number of different components all of which must be separately assembled to form the cable tray. For example, the cable tray includes separate straight sections, horizontal bend sections, horizontal tee sections, horizontal cross-intersection sections, as well as splice plates to connect the various components to each other as well as supporting the assembled cable tray above the building floor. Such a cable tray assembly is, therefore, independent of the raised floor system.
One drawback of such a raised floor and cable support system is the additional labor required to assemble the various components of the separate raised floor and cable support systems. In geographic regions with particularly high labor rates, the cost of erecting such a labor intensive dual system could prove to be cost prohibitive.
Another drawback of such a system is that the amount of space required by the structural supporting components of the two separate systems leaves less space available for carrying and organizing larger numbers of cable runs.
Yet another drawback of installing independent raised floor and cable support systems is the cost of procuring the materials required for two separate support structures. These additional labor and material costs can significantly increase the overall cost of installing a complete system.
An alternative solution to supporting cable runs below a raised floor assembly is proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,548,932 which issued on Aug. 27, 1996 to Mead (the xe2x80x9c""932 Mead Patentxe2x80x9d). The ""932 Mead Patent features a height adjustable cable tray support system which includes a number of separate components which must be assembled to form the cable support system. Plates which support the cable tray are secured by welding or other methods to the pedestals of the existing raised floor system featured in the ""932 Mead Patent. Additionally, support rods are required in the ""932 Mead Patent cable tray support system, which support the cable tray on the support plates.
One disadvantage of such a system is the labor intensive nature of the installation. In particular, each support plate must be separately secured to the floor system pedestals and the support rods and cable tray sections must be installed. This combined with the cost of the material components required for such a system can add significant cost to the installation of the complete system.
Accordingly, there is a continuing need for improved raised floor and cable management systems which require fewer number of components. A need also exists for raised floor and cable management systems which are easier to install than existing systems and which provide increased storage capacity and accessibility.
The present disclosure provides a cable support assembly for a raised floor system which overcomes the above-noted and other disadvantages of existing raised floor and cable management systems. Additionally, the present disclosure provides a cable support assembly for raised floor systems which requires many fewer components to assemble thereby resulting in greatly reduced material and labor costs to install a complete raised floor and cable management system or to upgrade an existing raised floor system with the presently disclosed cable support assembly.
In one aspect of the present disclosure an intersection member is provided for use in a raised floor system having a plurality of support pedestals, a plurality of floor panels, and at least one cable support apparatus wherein the intersection member includes a cable support section, and connecting portions extending from the cable support section, the connecting portions being configured and dimensioned to retain the cable support section in place when positioned at the intersection of at least two cable pathways.
The connecting portions may include downwardly oriented tip portions which are configured and dimensioned to interact with a cable support apparatus of a raised floor system such that the intersection member is supported by the cable support apparatus. In one embodiment, the intersection member is open-sided to form a xe2x80x9cTxe2x80x9d shaped intersection. In an alternative embodiment, the intersection member is generally planar to form a four-way intersection between cable pathways.
In one aspect of the disclosure, the intersecting member may be formed as a lattice work of intersecting members joined together. In one particular configuration, the intersecting members may be formed from wire stock.
The present disclosure further provides a hardware mounting assembly for mounting hardware relative to a cable support apparatus, which includes a bracket portion configured and dimensioned to support various hardware components and position the components relative to a cable support apparatus, and a plurality of notches formed along the bracket portion, the notches being configured and dimensioned to engage portions of the cable support apparatus such that the bracket portion is maintained a predetermined relative distance from the cable support apparatus.
Preferably, the bracket portion is provided with preformed openings therein to receive various hardware components. The hardware mounting assembly may further include a transition portion extending from the bracket portion such that transition portion supports and directs cables when positioned thereon.
The present disclosure includes a cable support assembly for use with a raised floor system having a plurality of support pedestals, the cable support assembly including a plurality of cable support apparatus each having at least one elongated stringer element being supported a predetermined distance away from a base by a first pair of a plurality of support pedestals and a channel section suspended from the at least one elongated stringer element, the channel section being configured and dimensioned to support lengths of cable thereon, and at least one intersection member having a cable support section and connecting portions extending from the cable support section, the connecting portions being configured and dimensioned to retain the cable support section in place when positioned at the intersection of at least two cable pathways.
In a further embodiment, a cable support assembly is provided for use with a raised floor system having a plurality of support pedestals, the cable support assembly including, a plurality of cable support apparatus each having at least one elongated stringer element being supported a predetermined distance away from a base by a first pair of a plurality of support pedestals and a channel section suspended from the at least one elongated stringer element, the channel section being configured and dimensioned to support lengths of cable thereon, and a hardware support member including a bracket portion configured and dimensioned to support various hardware components and position the components relative to a cable support apparatus and a plurality of notches formed along the bracket portion, the notches being configured and dimensioned to engage portions of the cable support apparatus such that the bracket portion is maintained a predetermined relative distance from the cable support apparatus.
In one aspect of the cable support assembly, a transition portion is provided which extends from the bracket portion such that transition portion supports and directs cables when positioned thereon.